May 29th ~ Castelo de Vide – rural campsite

Awoke early to another beautiful day. Chris managed to gain the trust of both dogs, who were dozing in the warm morning sun. After breakfast,we headed along a white road through lovely rolling hills and countryside. The roads were lined by poppies of the deepest red, and the meadows were a carpet of yellow ,purple and white wild flowers. The air was pure and clear, making the views stand out in sharp focus. After an hour or so, Marvao came into view, a walled settlement perched on a high rocky escarpment. You could see why it had been built there because of its strategic location.

The village was founded by a knight of Islam named Ibn Maruan in the 9th Century, and the Moorish fort was named after him. It was re-conquered by the Christians, and received a Royal Charter in 1226. The village is totally surrounded by high walls using the natural contours of the rock, as are the bastions and fortifications of the Castle and Towers within. We walked round the village on the walls , marvelled at the Castle and the spectacular views, and explored the numerous streets and alleys, always coming across the unexpected, such as a beautiful church, formal gardens, a monumental cistern for storing precious water, or children waving, and old women pointing out a sight we had missed. The museum was interesting, showing the history of the place with a series of naive religious icons and costumes through the ages. Marvao reached its demographic peak in the 16th Century, housing a large garrison who fought in the various border wars and skirmishes. Now, the population is only 159, although it is reviving with the development of tourism. However, they have’nt got much commercial sense in that entry to everything is free !
After 3 hours or so, we sat on a cafe terrace to have a drink and gaze out at the spectacular views. The place is so high that the highest flying birds can be seen flying below you. All in all, our favourite place so far, and unlikely to be surpassed.

However, after we had lunch in the carpark, and luckily having missed 3 coach parties, who came and went during that time, we drove on to Castelo de Vide, not expecting a great deal, arriving about 3pm in very hot sun. As the Tourismo was closed , we explored the old Jewish quarter of the village, which was enchanting, with narrow cobbled streets between the whitewashed houses with flowers everywhere. The Castle was’nt much to see in quite a dilapidated state, although the Tower had been restored and housed a museum, and provided great views of the surrounding countryside and of Marvao on the horizon.

The town was also founded in the 9th Century and conquered from the Moors in 1148. However, it developed in the 15th and 16th Centuries, when a large Jewish community settled there. We visited the oldest Synagogue in Portugal, which was quite interesting. In the basement, there were huge excavations in the rock made to store grain and cereal crops in times of persecution.

All in all, a memorable day, although a bit too hot for sightseeing. After shopping in Pingo Doce, our favourite Portuguese Supermarket chain, we found a lovely rural campsite outside Castelo de Vide, and spent a relaxing evening with a BBQ , wine and a bonus of the internet to catch up on e mails etc..